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Does anyone back up tapes?
I’ve had a variation on this thread, because as a still photographer who has been shooting digitally for few years, I’m so used to backing up a photo shoots (that I just shot — al the unedited shots) to external HD and DVD’s right away.
But I’m learning that video shooters often, or never? back up what they have just shot for the day — even if they may be sending out (through fed ex etc) the only copy of the mini DV to 3rd parties.
So want to ask:
Does anyone back up unedited mini DV tapes — even if you were sending out to a 3rd party, the only copy? thanks. -
4 Replies
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Only if the network wants to keep the footage (it is their right) and I know that footage on a few tapes would be useful for future projects. Otherwise, no, I don’t.
The ONLY place I worked at where they backed up tapes was AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS. Their funny video selects were dubbed from their source to BetaSP, then a dub of that beta was made adn send to a mountain vault in UTAH….in case California fell into the sea after a HUGE earthquake.
Shane
“There’s no need to fear, UNDERDOG is here!”Shane Ross
Alokut Productions
http://www.lfhd.net -
We back up EVERYTHING we shoot… and it’s ALOT of tape. A typical season of one of our shows will generate anywhere from 1500 to 3500 HOURS of video. Every second of that is copied while the masters are retained in a vault until the season has completed airing. Then, the copies are recycled and used to back up the next season. I am less concerned about the obvious risks like fire, flood or earthquake, and more about the more common problems of losing or damaging a tape (disc). Since our backups are now clones, that concern has evaporated.
As for shipping master tapes from the field, it depends on the location and the length of the shoot. Typically, there is too much material to dub on location and the masters are travelling unprotected. This would be the same as a film shoot where the “dailies” have to travel to the lab for processing. For that first leg of the trip, there can be no backup. That’s why you buy production insurance!
While we’re on the subject, we also back up the PROJECT info to at least three places: locally, globally (networked storage) and mobilly (usb memory stick). It just makes sense to take these precautions, ’cause the minute you don’t is the exact moment a disaster will occur.
Mark
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Hello,
I don’t back up the tapes as such, but I do capture the footage, and make a DVD back-up.
This has been a wake-up call for me, and having thought about it I will be making copies of any future footage……just in case!!!!Happy New Year, and all the best
Dave
Good Robot Productions UK
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thanks Mark:
I assume you use two camcorders to back up.?
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